


love is a ruthless game,

by ciscoscaitlin



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26375152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ciscoscaitlin/pseuds/ciscoscaitlin
Summary: He’d just ended a really good relationship, a healthy relationship, with a nice girl who was in love with him.He just wasn’t in love with her.
Relationships: Cisco Ramon/Caitlin Snow
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	love is a ruthless game,

**Author's Note:**

> I found this in my drafts and thought I’d finish it?

The taste of beer was sour on his tongue, it burned the back of his throat as he took the fifteenth swig of his… what was it now? Fifth… sixth bottle? He’d lost count after the third. 

Cisco only bad himself to blame.

Sitting like a loner on the window ledge of the West-Allen apartment, and choosing to drown his sorrows with free alcohol and buffet snacks. 

He’d just ended a really  _ good _ relationship, a  _ healthy _ relationship, with a  _ nice _ girl who was in love with him. 

He just wasn’t  _ in love _ with her. 

“Whoa…” the gentlest nudge against his shoulder distracted his attention. “And how many of those have you had tonight?”

“Not many…” he slurred.

“Mhmm,” Caitlin shoved his shoulder and squeezed in next to him on the ledge, the milky white thigh peeking out from the slit in her black skirt pressed against his own. 

He tried not to stare. 

“Whatever you say, handsome.” She tore the bottle from his hand, ignoring his protest as she emptied the bottle in one large gulp. 

“I wasn’t finished with that!” 

She pulled the bottle from her crimson red lips, leaving a large imprint on the side. “Sharing is caring, Cisco,” she sang, winking at him and flicking her platinum white curls over her shoulders. 

Cisco huffed, “if sharing is caring than how abouts you hand over that flask you snuck in your purse. Uh huh, yeah, I saw you. Barry may be permanently stuck in lala land, but I got eyes.” He pointed to his eyes with his fingers, and then wiggled them in her direction. “Cough up girl, give me the good stuff.”

She choked out a laugh, “sorry honey, but I already finished that an hour ago.” 

He scoffed. “Ruuuude.”

Caitlin shrugged, “soooo.”

“Sooo?” 

“Barry told me you and Kamilla broke up.”

He tilted his head up at her in surprise, following her gaze across the room where his ex-girlfriend was stood talking with one of the editors of Iris’ newspaper. Philip? Edmund? He could barely remember. 

But watching them talk so animatedly, her smiling brightly at his jokes, the way he casually leaned in closer with his body. 

Cisco felt absolutely nothing. 

And he really wished he could feel something. Maybe just a slight twinge of pain in his heart, or a hint of anger boiling up in his chest ready to burst and reclaim back his relationship. 

But he’d only ever felt that way about someone else. The one person he knew he could never have, always out of his reach. But he’d still ended his perfectly  _ good _ relationship for her, knowing nothing would ever happen between them. 

What kind of self sabotage messed up bullshit was that? 

“Cisco?” Caitlin forced his attention away, catching his gaze. “Wanna talk about it?”

“When she’s standing on the other side of this room? I think that’ll be a strong no.”

“Then lets get out of here.”

Cisco snorted, “you want to ditch Barry and Iris’ party?”

She shrugged, “don’t you? You’ve been a miserable sour baby since you got here.” 

“Hmph.”

Caitlin rolled her eyes, yanking him up by the bicep. “Put your jacket on,” she ordered, pulling the leather off the back of the sofa and dropping it on his face. 

He huffed, sliding it over his shoulders and watched as she tugged her coat on over her very  _ revealing _ dress, pulling her hair out from underneath. 

Cisco had been utterly speechless the moment she’d arrived obnoxiously late, his jaw dropping to the ground when she’d slipped her coat off to reveal herself in such a… a  _ sexy _ gown, that highlighted her curves in the best places and made her look like a goddess. He knew he’d have that image scorched in his brain for the next six months. 

It had also been the reason for his third bottle of beer as he was brutally reminded of what he could never have.

Caitlin grabbed his elbow, pulling him to the front door of the West-Allen loft.

“Are you guys leaving?” 

Cisco glanced over at Barry and Iris, obstructing their journey out the loft. “Uh, yeah man. It’s just a little crowded in here,” he sideeyed his ex-girlfriend on the other side of the room, who was watching the encounter with a deep frown. “Thanks for the invite, we’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Okay, man,” Barry said, nodding his head in understanding. Iris offered a small smile and averted her gaze to the side in a silent communication across the room, she’d been caught in the middle of the  _ not so smooth _ breakup. 

Caitlin raised her eyebrows, yanking him around them. “Bye.” 

The door slammed shut behind them and she smirked at him, linking her arm through his, “let’s go shortstuff.”

Cisco narrowed his eyes and lightly elbowed her in the side. “Technically I’m like half an inch taller than you, your gigantic Bratz heels just puts you at an advantage.” 

She laughed, “whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart.”

He shivered, not sure if it was from the cold air of a late Thursday evening, as he stepped into the street. Or if it was from Caitlin strapped tightly against his arm, her raspy voice muttering those damn endearments in his ear that always made his heart skip a beat, his brain overthinking the possible meanings behind them. 

“You know, if you don’t stop with those cute nicknames I’m going to start thinking you’ve gone sweet on me.”

She giggled, her head resting on his shoulder close enough for him to catch the scent of beer she’d stolen from him. “Maybe I have,” she purred in his ear.

Cisco stopped dead, her steps stumbling beside him. “Don’t do that. Don’t stay stuff like that and not expect me to take it seriously.” 

She stared at him, caught off guard, and tucked her hair behind her ear. “...Cisco.”

“Because if you do, Caitlin. I might be tempted to do something about it.”

Her lips parted, her gaze landing on his mouth. “Well… what’s stopping you?” 

He exhaled slowly, cupping the back of her neck with his hand. “Absolutely nothing.” 

There was definitely something him anymore. He was single now, so he could do whatever he wanted. He could kiss whoever he wanted. And right now he wanted her, he’d always wanted her, and she wasn’t pushing him away or moving her head away in disgust. 

No… instead she’d leaned in towards him, her fingers clutched against his jacket.

Her eyes had drifted shut as he’d leaned in closer, resting his forehead against hers, their lips barely brushing, his thumb lightly stroking her cheek and his other hand firm on her arm. 

Cisco kissed her slow and concentrated, drinking in every thing she’s got and exploring every crevice of her mouth. He swallowed the moans at the back of her throat and the quiet whimpers when he sucked on her bottom lip. 

“Cisco…” she breathed, when his kisses divert along her jawline and down her neck. “Do you… do you really want to go down this road?” 

“God, yes.”

“We’re both…” she sighed, voice dropping when he effectively marks on her collarbone. “... we’re ridiculously drunk.”

“Mhmm.”

“... and…” she whined. “... and you just went through a bad breakup.” 

He stopped, pulling away from where he’d been licking at her cleavage. “.... Caitlin.”

“I just think our friendship is worth more than just a drunken rebound hookup ... in the middle of the street…” she averted her gaze to where she’d ruthlessly clawed at him through his shirt. “Don’t you?”

“Who said this was just a drunken rebound hookup?” 

She whimpered, and it was so unlike this woman that he’d gotten used too. The merge between Caitlin and Frost had been slow and rough, Frost’s personality had dominated the parts the had made her Caitlin. But occasionally, the softer side of her would come out, he’d see the Caitlin that he loved through her beautiful brown eyes, in the way she’d rest her hand on his shoulder.

She kissed him again, softer and slower. Her cold hands cupped his face. 

“You don’t want me Cisco, I’m a mess.”

“So am I. Maybe we could be a mess together.”

She snorted, lightly slapping his shoulder, and he laughed. Her face turned sour, watching carefully as her delicate fingers traced over his cheeks. “I’m serious, Cisco.” 

“So am I,” he said with sudden determination. His hands grasped at her waist as he pulled her flush against him. Caitlin gasped. “ _ I want you.”  _

Her bottom lip trembled, another quiet whimper slipping from between her lips. 

This time he watched her, gently stroking up and down the length of her back in a comforting gesture. He’d finally put himself out there. The feelings that he’d let bottle up and fester for years, finally out on the surface. 

It was her call what happened next, to make the next move. 

If she wanted him, he was hers. 

If she didn’t… he’d finally have to let her go. 

Caitlin’s eyelashes fluttered, and she stared up at him shyly from underneath hooded eyes. She cupped his jaw, letting out a quiet sigh as she leaned closer to him. 

Slowly. Almost hesitantly. As though she was fearful he’d pull away at the last second. 

Cisco’s lips curved up, patiently waiting for her to breach that final gap. He gently stroked his fingers through her cascading curls, playfully tugging on the ends to ease all the worries and doubts that may be harbouring in the back of her mind. 

Her thumb grazed over his jawline, and she smiled. The beautiful curve of her bright red lips tickled his own. 

The third kiss was slower and softer than the first and second. It was almost hesitant, like they were  exploring each other for the first time. It felt daunting and real and raw.  It felt magical. 

_ It was magical. _

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly if any of this doesn’t happen in Season 7, I’m throwing hands.


End file.
